STILLWATER – Oklahoma State ended a three-game losing streak in Big 12 play with a 72-56 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the first edition of Bedlam of the season.
With the win, the Cowboys move to 10-8 over on the season and 2-4 in Big 12 play.
Bryce Thompson scored a game-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the free throw line in a season-high 37 minutes. He also had a team-high nine rebounds.
Thompson was one of the four Cowboys who dropped double-digit scoring, with Avery Anderson III dropping 14 points, 6-of-9 from the free throw line, and Woody Newton with 12 points on 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
As a team, the Cowboys combined for an impressive 43% from the field on the night, including going 7-of-17 from 3-point range. They outrebounded the Sooners 37-32
It was a bit of a slow start for the Cowboys in the first half as they combined for just 24 points on 31% shooting. Kalib Boone led the way with six points on 3-of-5 shooting, including hitting the first bucket of the game. He also recorded three blocks to boot.
Boone would finish the game with 15 points on 7-of-11 from the field with seven rebounds and five blocks.
Moussa Cisse saw his first action since he left the Texas game with a high ankle sprain. He subbed in at the four-minute mark to one of the loudest ovations in GIA this season. He played two minutes and hauled in one board before being subbed back out.
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The Cowboys came out hot in the second half with Woody Newton nailing a huge 3-pointer 10 seconds out of the break, which was followed by a jumper from Avery Anderson III. John-Michael Wright hit a huge corner three, getting the Pokes back within one point, then a steal by Boone at half court led to an intentional foul on Tanner Groves. Boone hit one of two free throws, which was followed by an and-one by Anderson III, putting the Pokes up 36-33.
Bryce Thompson really started to heat up about four minutes into the second half. He nailed four-straight buckets from the 16-minute mark of the second half to the 11-and-a-half minute mark, including three 3-pointers, giving him 15 points and the most points he’s scored since the first game of the new year, a 15-point performance against West Virginia.
After a big bucket in the paint for Boone at the 4:28 mark, which led to Mike Boynton taking his jacket off and slapping the floor, the Cowboys forced an OU shot clock violation following a Boone block on the other end of the court just under four minutes.
The Cowboys turned up the defensive pressure as they forced four-straight missed buckets by the Sooners, which also included a turnover at the 2:27 mark, leading to an OU timeout with the Pokes up 65-54, their largest lead of the night.
Woody Newton hit the Pokes’ seventh three of the night back down the court to extend the Pokes’ lead to 14, 68-54. Anderson III recorded a steal on the trip back down, all but sealing the deal for the Pokes.
The Pokes continued to hold OU scoreless, with the Sooners going on a near-six-minute scoring drought down the stretch.
Next up for the Cowboys is a 1 p.m. tip against No. 12 Iowa State in Stillwater on Saturday, January 21.
